Before We Kissed
by ToyCarLove
Summary: ‘She loved within her House,for she knew that their two Houses could not be joined as one without strife.’See and it continues ‘For a cold blooded serpent should not know the warmth of his beloved lioness.’You were wrong.” DMHG, Not HBP Compatible, 7th yr
1. Breakfast and Worries

A soft scratching noise played at his nerves, even through his sleep. Stormy gray eyes shot open and a low growl emitted from a pale pink sliver of lips. Draco Xavier Malfoy threw the sheets that resembled liquid silk off of him and huffily sat up. A flash of lightning illuminated his handsome features, a boy of mere sixteen years yet still handsome. He was entering his seventh and final year at Hogwarts soon and it was grating on his nerves immensely. He would not be seventeen for several months and he knew a few others also shared his same fate, but he was still annoyed by the fact most of his friends, if they could be called that, would be older then him. It was inarguable that he was more powerful then them, only because of such a long family history of dark arts. His lessons had not begun at Hogwarts, it had started years earlier.

Draco could barely consider these 'lessons' as valuable. They consisted of his father's usual propaganda, though he almost wholeheartedly agreed with his fathers teachings, he had not believed it to the extent his father had to suggest. He thought more of the lessons his eyes dancing with memories; his train of thought was interrupted by a crack of thunder. The noise re-entered his ears with greater conviction it seemed. He stared over at the window and saw a branch running its spindly fingers across the window. He gave another low growl that branch was getting on his last nerve. There was no way to do magic without getting in trouble; with a sigh of defeat he crawled under his covers trying to block the sound from his ears. No such luck.

Draco let out a soft groan his wish had come sooner then he thought and honestly then he wanted. He rolled over, overshooting the edge of his bed by a few inches; he toppled on to the floor, leaving his silver-blonde hair askew on top of his head while his arms and legs tangled in a most uncomfortable manner. He heard a squeal as his door silently creaked open. "Eeee, Master! Tixie can help. Tixie will help." The small little elf hurried over to Draco quickly, he gave a gruff response and pushed the elf away, "I am fine. Just get my breakfast." He watched her shift her feet, while her head hung low her blue round eye's watching them carefully, "Well, hurry up." She let out a low wail, "Master Malfoy Sr. requests you to eat with him and the Mistress in the East Wing. He says' that if he is not appeased the consequences could be dire." Her squeaky voice pained Draco's ears, "Tell him that I will be there in ten minutes time," Tixie nodded and as she scurried away.

Draco felt his insides turn a meal with his father was never good. He had been taking meals in his room all summer or he just wouldn't eat, this was the first time he was threatened. He pulled his mind away from the thought and stared at the floor at which Tixie just stood. She was an unusual elf; she was once free and had been taught many things by the person who owned her before. It amazed him to listen to her, she was like a little person, and she didn't speak the broken English his other elves did. Though, he admitted o himself it could hardly be called broken, just awkward. He wondered if there was a language they had spoken amongst themselves. A clock somewhere in the manor chimed loudly. He knew it meant breakfast, but he slowly dragged himself to the closet. He put his clothes on slowly and made his way to the East Wing.

"Your late." drawled a cold voice as Draco sauntered into the room. Draco merely inclined his head slightly in reverence and forgiveness and sat silently poking at his eggs, he didn't feel hungry anymore. "Draco, don't play with your food." Lucuis snarled at him. "You have been avoiding me since you set foot in this home, why?" Draco kept staring at his food. He was afraid of his father; he had broken out of Azkaban yet again. The dementors and been persuaded to the Dark side so there had been a whole string of break-outs. "No reason. You have been uncommonly narcissistic lately, why?" He replied nonchalantly, the words barely passed through his lips and he regretted them already. He hadn't the time to take another bit before he was writhing in pain on the ground. His father preformed the Cruciatus Curse; it tore through Draco's body like fire. It suddenly stopped and he lay there battered on the floor of the East Wing dining room. His mother sobbed violently and fled the room so as to avoid Lucuis' wrath. Lucuis followed a few minutes later. Draco felt blood dribble from his nose and every bone in his body ached. He heard a small shuffle of feet and a gasp, "Master Malfoy.", cried Tixie's voice. Her squeaky voice consoled him slightly, he felt his eye's droop and the room fade.

A muggle song began to blast out of a silver box on the nightstand, a song laden in guitar but with a soft voice to set it off. A slightly tanned hand reached over and turned the song down, she pushed the covers off of her and sing silently under her breath to herself, " Look behind my face can you still see me or am I gone, just a fantasy..." She trailed off as she searched for something to wear in her closet. She really didn't have to get dressed, despite her parents better judgment they left her home alone for two says, a dental conference. Again.

She sighed and just pulled blue denim skinny jeans and a black shirt. She went to her bathroom and brushed her teeth and washed her face and tried to tame her hair which became slightly more manageable tousled curls. She had spent a few days in Hawaii last week while her parents were at yet another dental conference, her skin was slightly tanned and it complemented her eyes, which had changed from an unspectacular brown colour to a simple cinnamon colour. She was nothing spectacular to look at; she exuded a more simple inner beauty that complemented the prettiness of her petite and simple features. She sighed and pulled the curls back into a messy bun some curls falling from it framing heart soft heart shaped face.

A crash in her room startled her and caused her slam the door. She heard the flap of wings and incessant chittering. She groaned, "Oh, Pig." She waited for her heart to slow before she opened the door to attempt to ambush the little owl and wrestle the letter from its hyperactive carrier. She wished ever so much that she could use her wand, but she knew she would find herself in a pretty spot of trouble. She held still and Pig flew closer to her buzzing about her head chattering madly. She jumped up and grabbed him the air, he squealed like a true pig and squirmed in her hands. She pried the letter from his feet and put him in a cage she had gotten for when Hedwig and Pig dropped off letters for her so she could send back an answer. "Hermione" was scrawled hastily across the letter. She opened it up and read the inside.

Hermione,

Hello, how are you? Mum wanted me to ask if you would like to come to the Burrow for the rest of the summer break. Harry arrived last week, but you were in Hawaii so we couldn't get a letter to you to ask. Send an answer back ASAP.

Love,

Ron

Hermione wasn't going to bother to ask her parents because told her that if she was asked again to say yes. She wrote her answer and a desperate plead to please send Hedwig next time. She wrestled the letter on to the bird, "Take this to Ron." She let the bird free out of the window and plopped herself on the bed. The times were dark and she had been scared. They were many Azkaban breakouts and the Dementors fled Azkaban to join forces with the Dark Lord, the ministry had sent home fliers on how to protect yourself and home. She wondered how long this would last, she wondered how long it was before Voldemort hunted Harry down and murdered him. How long would they have to keep fighting?

She shook her head and silently cursed herself; she turned up her music, and began to pack some clothes and all her school stuff in her trunk. She rummaged through her underwear drawer looking for her little change purse she kept her money for school supplies in. She was running low on her wizarding money so she took some of her money she hid in a box under her bed and stuffed some quid in the purse with her Other money. It seemed like it had been forever since she was last at the burrow. The school year had passed quickly but slowly all the same. Her stomach was sick with apprehension, and just overall fear of how this next year would play out...

A tortured groan escaped his lips as he rolled over in his bed the light shining in his face and making his head pound harder then it already was. He couldn't remember coming to his room; the only thing he remembered was the ill fated breakfast. He heard the scurry of little feet and felt something pounce on his bed. Tixie held a wet washcloth to his head and it made his head feel better for only a minute. He reached and pushed the washcloth away and rubbed his hand on his forehead, his fingers traced a tender spot of purple and black that was slightly raised, he figured it was from when he fell from his chair with the initial shock of the Curse.

Tixie gave a humph, almost sounding reproachful, "Master Malfoy, you mustn't do that. It has just begun to go down very quickly too." He sighed and replaced the washcloth; his stomach gave a loud grumble. Tixie gave a satisfied smile, "I brought you some soup, tomato. Your favourite." She handed him the bowl, we tipped it into his mouth, the soup poured down his throat making him feel warm all over. His stomach reaching for it greedily, he finished it quickly and handed the bowl and unused spoon back to Tixie. She nodded satisfactorily and jumped off the bed and left the room. Draco felt his eyes grow heavy and his body try and make him sleep again. He lay down and closed his eyes and fell asleep quickly.


	2. The Bruised Dragon

Sorry it took so long to update, but I have been super swamped with school. So here, it is, shorted then I would have liked but, oh well.

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Hermione's hair whipped around her face in the wind, she was freezing but she still sat in that tree waiting, waiting for her parents to stop fighting. Her father was insisting on her not going back to Hogwarts, he was against her ever going in the first place and once she befriended Harry Potter and found herself in so many of these dangerous situations he was really against it. She sighed as she heard her mother raise her voice, which was so unusual for her, "Frank, she is almost 16! She can handle herself! She isn't a little girl anymore." It grew silent. She couldn't even hear the muffled voices as she could before. She furrowed her brow and strained her ears to hear if there was any talking at all. She pouted slightly and watched a few cars pass; carrying the people she had once called friends. They seemed so distant; this world somehow was unusual to her.

She heard steps behind her and tensed, she jumped down from the tree ready to attack, and she felt the heat rise to her cheeks when she saw it was only her mother. "Come on sweetie. Your father and I want to speak with you." Hermione nodded solemnly and followed her mother into the kitchen. Her father was standing in the kitchen tapping his foot; he was slightly red in the face. Hermione took a seat on the bar stool her father started in on her, "You know Hermione, Hogwarts isn't safe anymore. You saw those notices; I am not entirely comfortable with my baby girl going there in times like these..."

Hermione sat there an hour later cracking some nuts over a bowel and digging for Brazil nuts. Her father was chattering on about the dangers of Hogwarts but was basically repeating the first 2 sentences he had spoken to her in the first place. Her mother seemed slightly bored to, "Frank, honey." She interrupted, he gave her a reproachful look, "Hermione, do you still want to go to Hogwarts this year? Do you feel safe?" She didn't hesitate to answer her mother, "Yes." Her father shook his head, "Of course she is going to say yes, Jane." Her mother shot him a look, "Frank, I trust my daughter, maybe you should try it sometime." Hermione rolled her eyes and dug in the bag for more nuts, "I do trust her." Frank replied indignantly. They continued this way for another half hour before Hermione was dismissed.

Hermione scurried up the stairs to her room quickly, she threw open her door and shut it quickly, trying to escape her parents. She plopped down on her bed when she heard an impatient clicking. She looked up and saw Hedwig; she ran over to her and took the letter. She squealed, "Yes! They'll be here this afternoon!" She scurried to finish packing her trunk. She ran down the stairs and from the bottom, "The Weasly's will be here for me within the hour! Make sure the fireplace is clear!" Hermione heard her father moan, "You told her she could go back?" She smirked and ran back up the stairs to her room. She gave Hedwig a treat and sent her off laden with a letter expressing thanks and agreeing to the time.

She smiled to herself; this was definitely going to make her dad mad. But, now he had no choice but to let her go to school. Finally they arrived and she squealed with delight. She dragged her trunk down the staircase she gave her mom and dad a hasty hug and kiss as Arthur shrunk her trunk, he handed it to her and let her go through the fire with the Floo Powder he brought. Hermione stepped into the Weasly's kitchen; her nose was filled with the scent of cinnamon and cookies. "Hermione!" She saw a flash of red and black before she was enveloped into a bone crushing hug.

Ron talked her ear off through lunch about how much practicing him and Harry had done in Quidditch this past week. Harry commented on the improvement Ron had made, Hermione smiled as the two chattered about some strategies. Her stomach was full to the brim already but Mrs. Weasly insisted on Hermione and Harry eating more. After lunch the boys insisted Hermione watch them play a game, they wanted her to join them but she hated to fly. Ron said it was only because it was something she couldn't learn from a book.

She leaned on her elbows on the grass staring up into the sky at them, a lazy breeze made her curls tickle her back through a white camisole, it was a warm day and it made her sleepy. She twisted a curl between her fingers; she felt her eyes began to close. It was such a nice day for a cat nap.

Draco stretched with a groan, his bones were still sore and every time he moved it felt like the curse was still running through his body, his father apparently was really mad this time. "Truth hurts." He muttered to the empty room, he sat up and stretched his arms wincing slightly; he pushed the covers away from his legs and stood up. The cold floor made his feet tingle he pulled on a too tight white shirt and walked over to his door and tried to open it. It was locked.

He glared darkly; his father locked him in his room. This summer was going to be too long. He sighed and looked around, trying to figure out what he could do. His eye's landed on his window, he smirked and walked over. He pushed on it lightly and it swung open on its hinges. He grabbed a pair of pants draped over a chair and pulled them on; he put on socks and shoes and walked back over to the window.

He was a long way from the ground; he took his broom from the closet and mounted. He hovered slightly and ducked his head low and went towards the window. _**BAM! **_Draco ran into the empty air of the window throwing him back a few feet into a heap on his bedroom floor, his broom in a rather uncomfortable spot. He stood up, his body ached even more, he walked towards the window and tried to reach his hand out but he couldn't, the window was open but it was like there was a pane of glass blocking his way out. The window swung shut and he groaned.

He was stuck here until the end of summer, what did his father intend on doing, he put his head against the cold window pane and stared outside, trying to figure out what to do. He heard a small _pop_ behind him; he tensed slightly and turned around to see Tixie holding a tray with tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, his stomach gave a loud grumble. Tixie smiled, "Come, sit." She set the tray down on his bed after she made with a flick of her hand, he sat down cautiously fearing he would spill the soup but as he sat his bed it felt hard like a table, he furrowed his brow and tried to bounce, he heard a small tinkle of a giggle coming from Tixie he turned and looked at her sharply. She lowered her head, "My old master taught it to me when he was sick." She said quietly. Draco nodded and began to devour the sandwich sloshing it in the soup slightly.

"So how long were you...?" He trailed off as he looked up, his mouth still full, Tixie was gone, he sighed and hoped the spell would wear off once he was done eating. He finished the soup and it warmed him up in his already hot room, he was slightly sticky with sweat and he leaned back against his bed, it was soft again. He heard footsteps coming down the hallway towards his room, the sound made his stomach feel flighty and his mind uneasy. Was it his father? What should he expect? His mind answered the questions in several different ways; some included himself in the dungeons with a few nasty contraptions his father owned being used upon him. The steps got closer and slightly hesitated as it passed his door but, kept walking. He let a sigh of relief escape his lips as he leaned back and let his eyes shut on him.

Holiday's passed quickly and soon everyone found themselves at Kings Cross Station sobs filled the air as mothers begrudgingly let the children leave them to go back to school. Auror's and Ministry Officials were roaming around; there were Security wizards that were prodding students with there wands, one had jabbed Harry particularly hard in the side and he gave a glower and muttered darkly as he walked by him "Watch where you put that." Hermione scolded him and apologized profusely to the sour-faced Wizard, Draco watched from afar and chuckled, he loved watching the Golden Trio pick at each other. Everyone managed to get on the train, a few joke items were confiscated, but nothing terribly exciting had happened, they were slightly behind schedule.

People were skittish and the usually packed, narrow hall were unusually empty, many students were not returning and the ones who did wanted to hurry and get into there compartments, feeling safer with friends. Many were already filled even the ones nearest the loo, which were undesirable property. Hermione, Ron and Harry wondered if an empty one could be found. Ginny stuck her head out into the hallway and hailed the three. Ron glowered at her once they were settled, "I thought you split to avoid mum. You sneaky chit, you went to go get a compartment. You expected the rest of the lot to search for one on our own." Ginny rolled her eyes and a copy of _The Quibbler _at him.

"Anyways, Hermione, aren't you supposed to be conducting the prefects meeting, Miss Head Girl?" Hermione slightly reddened, she hadn't told Ron or Harry yet, the conversation never made that turn and they were so wrapped up in there Quidditch she just never saw the time to mention it. "You got Head Girl!? Congrats 'Mione." Harry said leaning over to give her a half hug, "Who's made Head Boy?" Ron gave a dark glare at the mention of head boy, he had wanted to be Head Boy, and he at least still wanted to be prefect but he had been replaced last year by Ginny's then boyfriend Dean Thomas. Hermione chuckled,

"With my luck, it will be Malfoy. One can only hope not. Apparently this year Head Boy and Girl are sharing quarters." Ron, who was about to bite the head off his Chocolate Frog, froze and stiffened with a look of shock, "You might me sharing quarters with... Malfoy?" he said with a sick tone as the chocolate frog managed to escape from his grip and hopped away. Harry watched the Chocolate Frog forlornly, "Shame that one." He turned to Ron and nudged him, "Malfoy wouldn't make it anyways with all his weird antics last year anyways, you know damn good and well Dumbledore wouldn't let the dirty ferret be Head Boy, especially with his Death Eater dad on the loose."

Hermione entered the Prefects Compartment and gave a smile to Hannah, "Bout time Granger, the meeting should have already been started." snarled Malfoy. Hermione groaned, "So, _you _made Head Boy. I hope your Father didn't waste too much money on you." She replied before plopping down next to him scooting as far from him as her seat would allow her to. "Anyways, welcome back, you guys. I hope all your holidays were enjoyable." Hermione said smiling, "Honestly, can we just speed this up. You guys have to pick the passwords for your houses, and go to your passage ways and say them to the wall, statue, painting etc. Right now, you guys need to Patrol the train until you have to change which you guys came bock here to do. The next meeting will be next Monday night. Thank you, good bye." Draco said swiftly before getting up and opening the door to the compartment, "_Well?_ "

He watched them file out; he turned to Hermione, "See how easy that was Granger." She glowered at him and pushed past him. "That stupid, dirty prat." Hermione huffed as she slammed the door to the compartment. "So the meeting went well I take it." Harry smirked at her from behind his _Daily Prophet. _Hermione glowered at him, "Oh come on love. It was only a joke." She sighed, "Well, I didn't find it that funny." Ginny giggled, "So, Malfoy made Head Boy. I feel bad for you. Though, I wonder if you get to share a bathroom, you might catch a glimpse of him after her gets out of the shower, dripping wet clad only in a towel." She said thoughtfully.

"Ginny!" Hermione squealed, "You are disgusting." Ronald and Harry were slightly red with anger, "That was uncalled for Ginny." Ron said very solemnly. "I am going to have to live with him. What if he curses me in the middle of the night? Oh my god, what if he brings Pansy to his room in the middle of the night? This is terrible." She plopped down in the seat next to Harry and leaned her head on his shoulder and groaned. "Aww, 'Mione." He put his arm around her and gave her a little squeeze, "Maybe it won't be that bad." She hit him in the chest and pulled away from him, "Easy for you to say." She sat there and pouted the rest of the trip before she rudely kicked Harry and Ron out so her and Ginny could change.

She sat in stony silence through most of dinner, Ron considered a little Firewhiskey in her drink might cheer her up, but Harry decided against the idea. "Come on Hermione, cheer up." Ron whined through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. "Here have some punch." He said handing her a goblet, with a slight smirk. "Hermione, I wouldn't worry so much about it." Harry said, he gave Ron a critical look and shot his hand up to the goblet spilling it on Ron's lap. "Sorry mate. I was reaching for the pudding." Ron glared at him darkly, while Hermione huffily cleaned Ron's lap with a simple swish of her wand.

They soon got up to leave for the Common Room, they had almost forgotten about Hermione's new quarters, when Dumbledore came to get Hermione, and asked her to follow him and Draco, for they would not be going to there usual Common Room. Harry gave Hermione a kind of forlorn look and gave her a quick hug, before him and Ron headed to the common room. Draco walked over to the pair, after a few moments, "You wanted to see me professor?" Dumbledore smiled and patted Draco's shoulder, Draco recoiled from his touch, not out of disrespect but in pain. Hermione misjudged this action and it only heightened her contempt for him, she gave a tiny humph and waited for Dumbledore to speak.

Draco's eyes flicked up to Hermione's face quickly, when she caught him looking at her they both exchanged a mutual look of malice, "Follow me, please." He smiled down at the pair and began up the stairs; they reached the seventh floor and stopped in front of portrait, bearing a man and women. "Hello Dumbledore, these are the two of which you spoke of I assume." Said, the red-headed woman, "Yes Julia, this is Hermione and Draco, the Head Boy and Head Girl." Julia smiled, and looked toward the sleeping brunette man next to her, "Wake up, Thomas." She said hitting him in the chest, "My brother is such a lump." She giggled and sighed, "There will be no rousing him, now. He and Violet have been drinking with the Monks."

"She tends to do that." Dumbledore answered her with a chuckle, and then said "Faerie Lights." Julia smiled, and her and her brothers painting opened up to a small hallway, Hermione was slightly puzzled, Dumbledore stepped into it and then stepped down and was gone. Hermione followed him through the corridor and Draco soon after. He stepped down and ran into Hermione, "Move, will you."

He stepped around her and stopped in his own tracks, they were in a common room, a rather big one decorated in deep reds and dark greens, with mahogany furniture. Draco nodded approvingly, and plopped himself down on the dark green loveseat, as he gruffly put his feet on the mahogany coffee table, the patent leather glinting in the fire light. Hermione sighed and shook her head, as she saw small pieces of dirt fall from the shoes onto the clean furniture, "This is gorgeous, Professor."

Dumbledore smiled, "I should hope it be to your guys liking. You guys can still go to your own common rooms, and your friends can come to these ones, please refrain from giving your password to your friends, you may, but please try not. I also don't want any late night visitors; I should no expect no problems with this issue from either of you." He gave them a smile and turned to leave, "Wait." Hermione said giving him a perplexed look, "Why are you giving us private quarters this year when you haven't before?" Dumbledore gave Draco a long look and another one to Hermione, as if mulling his thoughts, "I have my reasons."

Draco stood up suddenly, "I should go to bed, long day tomorrow." Draco bade Dumbledore good night as the old man turned and left with a nod of his head. Draco walked to his room, taking his robe off as he went. Hermione sighed and took a book off the side table and sat down to read, but felt too tired, her room was right next to Draco's and as she walked towards her own room she glanced into Draco's room.

He had his back to her and was taking of his shirt, the sight stopped Hermione in her tracks, his alabaster skin shone eerily in the candle light, and she let out a little gasp as she saw all the bruises on him, even some cuts. She put a hand to her mouth and turned to run as he turned around, she saw the bruises extending over one shoulder and to his chest. She opened her door quickly and slammed it shut and locked it, before Draco could register what happened.

Hermione felt ashamed of herself, for being so critical of him earlier in the evening, the image danced across her mind and she registered that Draco hadn't meant to be rude, but his shoulder was terribly bruised, and the light pressure of Dumbledore's spindly fingers caused pain. She felt bad for misjudging the action but she still hated, but it lessened slightly, out of sympathy, tomorrow he would say something nasty and snarky to make up for it.

Draco stood rooted to the spot, he watched Hermione's fleeting figure. There was something in those boring brown eyes that shocked him, it was sympathy, she had had sympathy for him. He was confused by it but in a sick way it felt nice, to be felt sorry for.

He shook his head remembering it was that stupid mud blood, he walked to the door and slammed it shut and gingerly got into bed, for the last two weeks of vacation his father had beat him or preformed the curse on him, every day. He hadn't been let out of his room either, his father took great care to have bruises and wounds that couldn't be covered up with clothing tended to by Tixie, so they wouldn't be seen.


	3. Heated Moments

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of this loveliness, however I wouldn't mind having Draco.

**Authors note: **I feel like an idiot, going back over this tonight I realised that the last part of the chapter cut off. So, here is the chapter in it's entirety. Please review you guys!

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Hermione awoke early, she stepped out of her room cautiously and put her ear to Draco's door, she could hear his light breathing, she sighed and tip toed to the bathroom to get ready quickly to be out of the dorm. She was afraid he would get mad at her or even try and tell her what happened, fat chance, but she didn't know how she could face him. She showered quickly and ran back to her room in a towel and dressed into her uniform and robe, she put on a little lip gloss and threw her hair up in a messy bun. She grabbed her bag from off her bed and gave Crookshanks a pat before she left her room.

She was in such a hurry she didn't see Draco sitting in the green chair by the fireplace, "Granger." She gave a squeal and froze; she turned to look at him, "Uhm. Yes." She said afraid of what he might have said, "I know I am gorgeous and all that, and it is probably a dream come true that you get to live so near to me, but do me a favour, mind your own business, and don't peep into my room." She glared at him and picked up her water bottle in a huff, "Well, ferrets aren't much to look at, so why would I bother?" She restrained herself from throwing the water bottle at him and walked away in a huff.

Draco watched her storm from the room, and just glared at her retreating figure. He sighed and gathered up his own things to head down to the Great Hall for breakfast, for his class would soon start.

"I can't stand it, Harry!" Hermione whined, as she flopped on to the creaky bed in the boy's dorm of Gryffindor tower. "I'm sorry, Mione. Why does it bother you so much? They were just words." Hermione looked up from the pillow in disbelief, "What the bloody hell are you saying?" Harry chuckled nervously and slightly blushed, "Ginny has been using the same line on me, and I guess I picked it up. Sorry." Hermione nodded, "Oh. Well then, uhm, I have another class, so I have to go before I am late." Harry smiled at her, "Alright then. See you later." Hermione picked her bag off the floor and left.

Hermione sulked into her classroom and to her seat which was unfortunately with Draco, Vector figured since we had to live each other why not be partners for the term. Why couldn't she be with Dean or Seamus? "Glad to see you finally made it, peeper." Hermione she dropped her heavy bag gruffly on to his foot, "Oh, oops, I am so sorry. That must hurt." She said with a monotone voice. "You stupid little bi-" Professor Vector rushed over quickly, "What's the problem this time, you two?" she asked while she gently rubbed her temples.

"SHE DROPPED HER BAG ON MY FOOT ON PURPOSE!"

"My bag fell on his foot, on accident."

Vector sighed, "You two, I can not handle this bickering any longer, either you don't shape up, and learn to be civil to one another or I will find a way to make you, now please-" she dropped a heavy journal on their desk causing Hermione to jump, " -start the translation of this text." Hermione hung her head slightly, "Yes professor."

Hermione cracked open the book, its pages yellowed and frayed, the text fading away. The first few minutes she scurried away flipping the pages carefully, while Draco watched from over her shoulder, his hand shot out to stop hers, "No, stop. You're wrong." She took her hand back from his hastily, "I am not." She said huffily rereading the sentence, "Yes, you are. These are poems in a way, think poetically, when you arrange the words. He would not say it the way you are translating it."

"'She loved within the room, for the two rooms cannot be joined without strife.'" she read aloud to him, "What is wrong with that?"

"It make's no sense. Stop thinking so black and white, plus you see this here, this tail is faded, but you can still see it, changing this word completely. You see 'room' in the first one, so then you assume the second is also 'room'. It is obviously 'house', it should be read; 'She loved within her House, for she knew that their two Houses could not be joined as one without strife.' See and it continues; 'For a cold blooded serpent should not know the warmth of his beloved lioness.' You were wrong."

"Once." She said eyeing him critically as he took the quill from her hand and replaced her text with his own. "Excellent, Mister Malfoy, very good. 10 points." said Professor Vector from above the pair, she patted Draco's shoulder and continued on her way; Draco shot Hermione a smirk and handed her back the quill.

"If you slowed down, you would have noticed. It's not about how fast you can do it." Draco said lazily as he leaned back in his chair. Hermione gave a frustrated sigh and took her foot and pushed on a leg to Draco's chair. He fell back with a loud crash, and a painful grimace.

"What happened now?"

"Nothing, Professor. I was leaning back and my chair lost its footing or something. I'm fine."

"Just as well, I have told you time and time again to not lean in the chairs. One more time and you will find yourself in detention. Now finish what you can of the translations, class will be over in about 15 minutes."

"Of course." he said as he took the book from Hermione and began to translate the rest himself, his brow furrowed, pain dancing across his eyes, and his left hand massaging his shoulder.

Hermione watched and again felt slightly guilty. But why? He deserved it. She sighed and began to pack her things, as the tiny bell on the Professors desk rang.

"Very good, I'm going to let one of you take your journal and Text with you tonight, so decide who is going to take it and work on it. We don't have much time to work on these, only until holidays, because after that I want you guys to start working on final projects. Which; will be much more difficult then what you are doing right now." She gave a smile and gave a little flutter with her hand, which meant they could leave, most students lagged slightly behind trying to decide who would take the materials.

"I guess it doesn't matter, who takes it." Hermione said tentatively staring at her feet, 'We could both work on it tonight or something."

"Yeah, for sure."

"Fine." Hermione walked away quickly, heading to the Great Hall for lunch.

"So how was class today?" Harry asked as she sat next to him.

"It was fine, with the exception of my partner." She said with a sigh and took a sandwich and put it on her plate, "I am paired with Malfoy, and now I actually have to work with him tonight on our work. Talk about a pain in my ass."

"Well, at least it is only one class." Ginny said with hopefulness in her voice. "I thought I had it bad last year when I was working with Dean's ex-girlfriend for Potions. Now, I am partnered with his current girlfriend in every class. That is a pain in the ass."

Hermione gave a little giggle, "This is true."

Harry cleared his throat, "Anyways, enough talk about Malfoy. We are going to have to start practicing soon for Quidditch." Hermione gave a slight sigh and watched Ron, Harry and Ginny discuss new strategies and such while she munched on her sandwich.

"Hermione. Hermione, hello?"

"What?" she said with a slight dazed look on her face, "What happened?"

"Think you can make it?" asked Harry.

"Make what?"

"That practice tonight, just to come check us out and stuff."

"Sure, no problem." She picked up her bag, "I have to get back to my Dorm, really quick, see you later."

Hermione watched Malfoy cross the hall before getting up and following him back to their dorms. She hurried after him and barely caught the portrait before it closed. She dropped her bag at the door and went to his room and knocked on it.

"What do you want?" He asked glaring at her.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

She sighed and looked down at her feet. "I tipped your chair in Arithmancy. I'm sorry." She crossed her arms and turned away from him and headed back to the exit.

"Why?"

"Because you were bei-"

"No, not why did you do it. Why are you apologizing?"

"Well, because it looked like it hurt. Especially because of all your bru-"

Draco cut her off quickly, "What ever, Granger, just go. You are contaminating my air space." She glared at him and huffily picked the bag up from off the floor. There it was, he made up for it. "Stupid prat."

The first day of classes was painfully long as they usually were, but somehow Hermione couldn't complain. Gryffindor even made it through Potions without losing points, in fact Hermione earned them 10 points for a 25 point potion; Snape only gave her ten points because her burner was too high, so obviously she had to have been rushing the potion so she could obtain the points.

"Hello Julia." Hermione said, smiling at the portrait, "Why, hello Hermione! Good first day back?" Julia said as she swung her feet on to her brothers empty chair, "Yes, it could have been better, could have been worse." Julia nodded, "Well, you better go and work on your homework. Password?"

"Faerie Lights."

"See you in the morning, Hermione." Julia said with a smile as she swung open. Hermione nodded and ducked slightly as she headed through the portrait hole. She dropped her bag by the couch and looked at the room.

The fire was crackling merrily and in the green chair nearest to it, a quilted blanket with a large leather bound book sat on it. Hermione cocked her head slightly and walked over and picked it up, she flipped through the first pages and shut it quickly, it was filled with gruesome pictures of people being tortured.

"Could you not touch my things? I would rather not have your mudblood filth on them." Said Draco as he closed his door and returned to his seat as he pushed past her and snatched the book from her hands.

"Doesn't surprise me this is what you would consider light reading." She said glaring at him; he chuckled, "And tell me again how many times you've read 'Hogwarts: a History'? It's for our essay in History of Magic, not like it is any business of yours."

"Anyways, can I have the book for Arithmancy?"

"No, I'm not ready to work on it."

"So." Hermione asked with a critical look. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"I myself would prefer to get the translations done fast and correctly. Not just done fast."

Hermione glared at him, "It was one little mistake."

"It was a foolish mistake, that if you were paying attention you would have noticed. Honestly, do you have this kind of attitude when you and Potter are off rescuing the world?"

"You know what, Malfoy? Half the time I just want to strangle you. Simple as that. No curses no hexes, just wrap my hands around your neck and-"

"After last night I figure that isn't the only thing you want to wrap your dirty little hands around." He said with a smirk.

"You thought that was cute, right?"

"Oh yes, very clever too." He said he enjoyed watching her squirm like this.

She sighed huffily and turned around and walked towards her room and then turned back around, "You are so insufferable." She slammed the door and made the painting next to her door shake.

"Someone is PMSing." He said shaking his head as he began to read again, he flipped past the pages of the ancient torture devices and their victims with a slight grimace on his face. Anything had to be better then this, even working on Arithmancy with Granger.

He sighed and got up and went to her door to knock on it but before he could it the door opened and she flew out and shoved him out of her way.

"Oi, Granger where do you think you are going?"

"I have to meet my friends at the Pitch." She said as she stopped at the door and pulled on a coat.

"We have to do that Arithmancy. You can't go."

She gave him a little smirk of her own, "You're so smart, I'm sure you can manage on your own."

He glared as she bounced out of the common room, he considered doing it on his own but it was so much more fun for Granger to do it then him tell her she was wrong. He threw himself on the couch and buried his face in a pillow.

"Hey, Hermione, glad you could make it.", said Ginny as she landed next to Hermione in the stands.

"Hello, Gin. How is practice going?"

"Fine...for now." She giggled slightly, "Harry keeps losing his patience with the new beater. I think by the end of the practice one or more people will be in the hospital wing for a bat to the head."

Hermione grimaced, "That's not good." Ginny shrugged, and said to her "For whoever gets hit." Hermione giggled and watched the guys practicing, sure enough Harry was in the new Beaters face waving the bat menacingly, "Ginny!", he yelled "Come take care of him." Ginny sighed and flew off, Hermione tried her hardest not laugh.

Practice ended soon after and she found herself down at the showers with the team, laughing and joking about stupid things, mostly making fun of the Slytherins. They had spent the better part of two hours bashing Malfoy, "I want to know if he does any of his own work." stated Harry with a chuckle, "He does so well he must send out for it." Hermione halted herself from laughing, "Shit." She said getting up from the benches knocking Ginny's feet from her lap.

"I have to go. Malfoy and I have a thing for Arithmancy." Harry gave her an unreadable look, "So?" she sighed, "I can't leave my grade in his hands, please. I must go." She hurried from the lockers, across the pitch and up to the dorms as fast as she could. She made it to the Great Hall before she felt like collapsing.

"Screw it." She said as she leaned against the wall, clutching her side in pain. She took a breather and made her way up to the dorms slowly. When she reached the portrait Julia was asleep, and Thomas was off gallivanting among the painting somewhere. She cleared her throat, "Julia." The woman roused slightly, "Oh hello deary, password?" she barely waited for the words to escape Hermione's lips before she swung open and fell back asleep.

Hermione made her way down the small flight of stairs and halted in surprise. There Draco lay lost in a pile of parchment, quills and ink. Their journal was propped open and was his current pillow, their version laid on his chest two or three pages filled with his neat, professional scrawl. She might have though he looked cute on some alien planet. She slowly made her way over to him and squatted next to him, she reached out slowly and gingerly touched his arm, shaking it a litte, "Malfoy."

He gave a small groan and stretched his hands above his head, Hermione stood up and took a step back, his eyes fluttered open and a sloppy smile sat on his face, looking as alien as her Hermione's thoughts were, before he quickly replaced it with a sneer, "You & the Golden Trio done with your snog fest, eh?" He said as she shut the journal and handed it to her.

She flipped through the pages, and read them carefully, she didn't feel the need to check them against the journal, "Wow, you got a lot done. I'm sorry, I meant to come back but we go caught up tal-" he shook his head and cut her off, "I don't care, at least I know we will get that much right." He said as he gathered up the rest of his stuff. "You know you can never just…" she huffed, "God, I hate this." Draco looked up from his stuff, "What Granger? Save it, I know what it is, what it always is 'Oh you are so insufferable?' or 'Can' t you ever be humble, can't you every take an apology, why are you always so mean?' " He shook his head, "If you expect me to listen to you make it something I haven't heard a thousand times over." She gave a laugh which halted him in his steps, "See it's that just there…" she shook her head, "I try and be nice to you, and you totally…" she sighed, "I don't even feel like dealing with you."

"Well the feeling is mutual, because trust me I don-"

"How dare you!" Hermione shrieked, "You are always the one starting it, "I had done nothing to you, I came in nicely awake, nicely tried to explain and NICELY apologized and you totally acted like an ass."

"I just made a comment, I'm sorry you are so delicate and sensitive you couldn't handle it." Draco said with a satisfied smirk, he couldn't relish in it long before Hermione slapped it right of his face. His cheek felt like it would burt into flames, and knew it was a ragin red, probably brighter then Ron got when he was angry.

"Now who is delicate." Hermione sneered before stalking off to her room slamming it so hard it shook the small chandelier above the table in front of the love seat.

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I hope you guys enjoy this chapter even more since it is now fully done. Please if you guys are reading, an I know you are, review and let me know what you like what you don't like, I don't just want the good ones I want the bad ones too. I don't care if it as in depth analysis of every sentence, trust me it has happened, or a "simple good job keep going" I wanna hear from you guys

**ELiZABETHH.**


	4. Touché

**DiSCLAiMER**If you recognize it then it is not mine.

**AUTHORS NOTE**I _know_ some of you are going to hate me for this but it is my story so P Haha, jkjk. We never realy learn much about Blaise in the series, thus my fascination with him, I assume Blaise is a boy. Anyways because we don't really know much about him, and what we do hear doesn't seem to link him to any evil, if I am wrong; correct me I forget. A lot. So my Blaise is a nice Slytherin, he is best friends with Draco but he also has friends in different houses and what not, including Hermione. So, I'm not sure yet if I am putting him in this chapter, but for later on, please don't hate me. Because I have bore you with this exceedingly long A/N I won't, hopefully, bore you with another, long or short, at the end.

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"Good lord, Drakey-poo what happened to your face!" cried the whiney voice of Pansy, as she smashed herself against Draco, he winced at he sound of her voice, "Nothing." he said in a more gruff tone then he had meant, Pansy flinched back from him, "Rude." she said with an indignant toss of her hair, before she released him and sat back down to her breakfast.

His face was not in it's usual pretty state instead, much to his surprise, a rather large purplish black bruise marred the cheek which Hermione had assaulted the night before. He was surprised that she had enough force to leave a _bruise. _He imagined a little tenderness sure, maybe a red mark she was strong, surprisingly.

"Wow, 'Mione, look at that bruise Malfoy's managed." Ron said with a nudge to Hermione's shoulder. Hermione's eyes widened quickly in shock, Harry registered this and the an emotion passing over her face too quickly for him to read.

Hermione hadn't yet enlightened them of the events from the night, she looked up at Harry and quickly averted her eyes when she realized he knew it had been her handiwork, "Holy crap." she offered, sounding more like a question then a statement. Again, Harry caught it and it flew over Ron's head.

"Looks almost like you had a hand at him, _Hermione_." Harry suggested to her, bottle green eyes staring up at her fixing her with a piercing stare, she returned it with her own flashing a deadly look that told him to shut up if he valued his life. Harry didn't shirk back from the stare but he didn't say another word.

Ron still oblivious kept munching at his eggs , obviously he couldn't stand to part from his breakfast for too long, she almost felt disgusted by him. She paused drawing a small, but sharp intake of breath and knew there was something wrong with her, she had spent only a mere 72 hours with Malfoy and she was already picking up his bad habits.

She rose from the table with a start knocking the table with her knee causing her eyes to sting and her and Ron's goblets to upset. She didn't even pay attention as Ron also stood up with a yell, "Oi, Hermione!" he yelled causing the hall to quite considerably and look over at them, Hermione brushed away the tears forming in her eyes, and ran from the hall her knee aching the whole way.

"Faerie Lights," she breathed as she entered the common room and collapsed on the couch.

_Hmm, an upset at the Gryffindor table. _Draco thought maliciously, until he noticed that the Trio had been involved in it, making it all the more delicious. He noticed the bushy haired smart ass fleeing from the hall, before she shot a glance at Draco at the Slytherin table, he noticed that tears were in her eyes.

He felt something deep in his stomach flutter, was that…Sympathy. For that Mudblood Princes? Uh, ew no. He resisted the urge to follow and see if she was okay, her words and her hands had affected him last night.

He hadn't even been back at school for a week and he was already turning soft. He shuddered before shovelling a hefty piece of ham into his mouth. Mentally cursing himself for feeling anything but indifference and hatred for the bushy haired know-it-all

He had noticed however that Hermione was notably absent from her classes that day, causing an ambush before dinner by his best friend the Boy Wonder Potter. Harry slammed him into a wall hidden by a suit of or armour, "What the hell did you do to her?"

Draco looked startled and pushed him off, "She is your bloody friend and I hadn't seen her at all this morning till you oafs made her flee from your table like some scared rabbit." he said while brushing off invisible dirt from his robes.

"You expect me to believe you got that," he said with a jerk of head at Draco's chin, "frolicking around handing out lollipops and stuffed animals to the poor little first years of Hogwarts." His eyes flashed dangerously, "That's crap, she did that to you, why?"

Draco treated the boy with a foul glare, so many retorts flew through his hand, but he decided not to answer at all, he walked away from the boy and entered the Great Hall where he noted the Mudblood was also absent from the table.

The frustrated Potter entered the hall soon after Malfoy and shot glares at Malfoy all through dinner, things did not let up the next morning or for the rest of the week, as the bruise faded Harry's temper seemed to rise.

Hermione had attended classes the next day and the everyday for the rest of the week, but she stole away to the library immediately after class and had not come down to meals, though Draco noticed she had left early in the morning and came back smelling like syrup almost every morning, and left late, returning with a pleased smile, and she didn't seem to be losing weight, so she must have been sneaking off to the kitchens.

This went on for a few days until as suddenly as it started it had stopped and the Golden Trio seemed to have reformed.

Hermione, Harry and Ron headed out to the lawns, deciding to enjoy a semi-decent weather day, it was a little chilly but the sun was shining and they were sprawled across the grass together, things had returned to relative normalcy. Ran seemed to be more skittish around Hermione hoping not to provoke what was seemingly unprovoked the first time.

Harry however was colder to her, he didn't sound it but he sure showed as subtly as he could so Hermione would get it but Ron wouldn't really catch on.

"Well shit you guys." Ron blurted out the tips of his ears turning, "I had a meeting with Snape about my detention, but I am now officially really, really late." he gave a low growl, before he split on them. Hermione gave him a forlorn wave and watched him run towards the castle, leaving her and Harry in uncomfortable silence.

"Ron may not want to know what happened, but I do." Harry said finally breaking the silence, Hermione looked up at him, "How do you mean?" She said with a puzzled tone. "So you coming to me beyond frustration Tuesday morning with Malfoy and then suddenly the next morning he has a bruise the size of Wales and when it is brought to your attention you freak out, was just some big odd coincidence, right?"

"Are you accusing me of abusing Malfoy and then feeling guilty for it." Hermione said flatly, Harry nodded, "Pretty much." he challenged her.

"Why would I feel guilty? He is a twitchy ferret that deserves everything he gets."

"So you admit to hitting him?"

"Well no, that's not what…"

"In not so many words, yes ,yes you did."

Hermione stammered, "Uhh well you see-"

"What were you thinking? You know me and Ron'll manage it, you shouldn't try to-"

"Now, are you accusing me of not being able to handle myself?"

"Uh well no that's not what I am-"

"Yes it is, Harry, honestly, I thought _you_ though better of me. I don't need two great oafs lumbering after me, in such a way that would put Malfoy's cronies to shame." She said getting a little heated this seemingly perfect Saturday was turning sour in no time. "I am not delicate and I don't need you three treating me as such."

Harry looked at her abashed, he hadn't expected such an outburst he mulled her words over in his mind, "Wait what do you mean 'you three'?" Hermione held back a look of alarm, "Well you think you are the only two people in my life who treat me like I am some delicate little flower?"

"It happens to be my father, Harry Potter, like it is any of your business." Hermione said as she got up, thoroughly affronted, "I have work to do I will see you at Lunch."

She had just lied to her best friend, she had lied to him about something so stupid, she cursed herself, she really needn't answer his question anyways he was acting like such a prat, coming at her the way he did. _It wasn't a lie though_, Hermione's conscious offered her, _your father does feel this way. _Free from guilt on a technicality, her father did feel so, he had not been who she had meant by the one other then Harry and Ron but it suited her fine and cleared her conscious, for a moment.

Hermione looked over her shoulder at Harry, he had stood up and was making his way to Hagrid's cabin, she watched him for a moment, not noticing the person she had just ran straight into. She fell back she braced herself for her bottom to make contact with the hard ground , but two hands snaked around her wrist. She pushed brown curls from her face and looked up at her saviour.

Something about the rush of blood and emotion going through them both rendered them temporarily motionless, honey eyes found silver ones dancing with amusement. She wanted to step back and look away but something in his eyes caught her, forcing her to root to the ground. A light wind blew through his hair lazily, a little falling over his eyes, which seemed to further enchant, however a gust of wind brought her back.

"Let go of me you prat." she said pushing out of Malfoy's arms, "Tsk, tsk, tsk Granger, has no one taught you manners?" He shook his head and let go of her, in mock disgust, "Honestly, _I _just saved your life." Hermione laughed, "Ha, don't give yourself too much credit." she gave him a glare, "The only reason you would save my life is so you could take it yourself." He placed a hand on his chest, let out a scandalized gasp and stepped back with a pretence of being hurt, "I am shocked you would think of me so-"

"I don't think of you as anything but an evil arse hole Death Eater wanna be." she shot out before he could finish his charade, hardness fell over his features and a blaze of emotion erupted in his eyes, "You know nothing, Mudblood, of me or my beliefs, or what I may or may not have hidden beneath my robes."

Hermione took a step back slightly afraid, she didn't dare make a move to leave or say anything. Draco seemed pleased and humanity passed over his features his mouth, once pressed into a thin line, had a smirk playing at his lips, "You and your little boyfriend Potty break up again?" he sighed, "How sad, just can't seem to get any kind of relationship to last anymore."

Her fear subsided, replaced by fatigue, "Sod off, Malfoy, I'm just not in the mood to spar with you right now." she said rubbing a hand over her forehead.

"Oh, tsk tsk tsk, forgotten our manners again have we? Twice in five minutes my goodness what ever will be done with you? Seems the little Gryffindor princess is in a foul mood." He said in mock concern, "Might there be anything I could do to help?" Hermione shot him a glare, "Yes, you could start by walking off the Astronomy Tower, after that I'm pretty much good."

He let a small chuckle from his lips, "Touché." he tossed back at her before turning from her and sauntering away. Hermione let her mouth fall open a little, "What the hell just happened here?"

She had somehow allowed him to win, despite a stunning display of verbal slap in the face, he had still managed to win. This pushed her deeper into the foul mood Harry had already put her in, with a pout she headed back to her dorm, she had to have some kind of homework that could put her mind off of such a spectacularly dreadful defeat.

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**AUTHORS NOTE:**Okay forgive me for it's horribleness. My highschool classes just started up and I am like brain dead, the only thing I can think about is savage little boys stranded on an island, secants, CAHSEE prep, and the Assasination at Sarvejo. All of which would not be a bit helpful in writing s Dramione. I'm trying to get of thid rut. So hopefully I'll have a new chapter up around the beginning of Febuary before my college classes start. Hope you enjoy this chapter though.

**ELiZABETHH.**


	5. Whats In A Name

**AUTHORS NOTE:** So this comes a whole lot later then I hoped, try like a month later. Hopefully it is worth the wait. Anywho, I love the little reviews I get, they make me happy, and to make you happy every reviewer gets a nice little box wrapped in yellow paper, with nothing inside but the invisible, yet valuable, love and thankfulness in my heart. Awwwww. Anyways proceed to the chapter now that I am done review whoring.

_xxx_

The next few weeks seemed to pass by without any considerable events, despite the weekly potion explosion executed by the always slow _yet _always entertaining Neville Longbottom. The Golden Trio faced no battles nor found anything remotely interesting to do but bicker, surprise surprise.

As a result Hermione had now found herself scribbling away in the back of the library on an essay assigned the class before due in three weeks, her brunette hair 'tucked', for lack of a better word, into a wild mess atop her head. She nibbled on her nails while she went over the parchment making sure she had no errors.

A pair of eyes watched the Know-It-All with great intent, almost too much intent. His eyes narrowed as he cursed himself for staring, though he could not deny she was interesting, they way she nibbled on the tip of her quill. _A thoroughly disgusting habit._, he noted. 

People watching was his favourite pastime-spending a majority of his summer tucked away in local pus watching the comings and goings of it's clientele, he had already diagnosed a few of them with alcoholism, but he digresses-however he wasn't so sure when had picked up his Mudblood watching habit, maybe they could join some rehab program for their disgusting habits.

The brunette mess stirred and he ducked behind the shelf quickly, _Wow, stalker much? _He thought to himself as he slammed the book on the shelf, earning him a rather shrill glare from the ancient witch attending to books next to him. He offered her a sicky smile and sauntered off towards the Mudbloods table.

"Granger." he said curtly as he sat down in front of her.

Said Granger looked up a pale strawberry colour tinted her cheeks as she reached up to touch her hair self consciously, she obviously had not expected anyone to come all the way back here, but her face fell when she registered the blonde teen in front of her.

Though she gave him a civil look, "Yes?"

Well crap, now he had to have a reason to actually be there, because just coming over to annoy her would only well…annoy her. Though he resorted to her school work, "I am in need of some assistance if you would not mind."

She quirked her brow but did not stop him, "I was wondering if I could have the journal Vector assigned us. We haven't worked on it in forever, and I have nothing to do."

Hermione resisted the urge to inform him he could have worked on the essay they had been assigned in Potions, but then she was still uneasy, granted he hadn't tried anything, but she didn't think he could be humbled that easy.

She lifted her bag onto the table and handed him both volumes, "There you go. I have added a few pages. I've had some spare time. But, they seem to have changed their style, I think I pretty much have a new key for it, but it's still a little off, maybe you could go over it and like, fix it." she said handing him the parchment she had the new key on.

"Of course." he said, as he cracked open the books and began looking over her work, he noted her eyes still on him and he looked up at her, "What?"

"I thought you were going to leave." she said simply.

"Oh." He said, "I could. I wouldn't want to disturb the poor little Know-It-All at work." he added icily. Hermione pursed her lips in a very McGonagall like way, and let out a thin breath and responded with great control behind her voice, "That was not an invitation to be a prat."

However Draco smirked, "I needn't an invitation." 

Hermione scowled at his retreating figure and turned back to her essay, it was obvious she would need to find a new place to study, she had gone her whole Hogwarts life here without one person coming back here, and now he had managed to find her, horrible.

She gave a frustrated sigh and slammed down her quill, now she couldn't concentrate. All she wanted was to get her essay done so she could go read, and at this point she didn't think she could even read. She cursed the blonde rat again and gathered her stuff, deciding she would head out to the Gryffindor common room.

_xxx_

Hermione headed up the stairs to the girl's dorm, where she found Ginny sprawled out on her bed holding the magazine _Witch Weekly _but had it lain in her Charms book to make it look like she actually might be doing some studying.

She looked up and let a brilliant smile fall on her face, "Hey Mione." she said pushing the parchment and books away from her bed, "We haven't talked in ages." 

Hermione gave her a shameful smile, "I know it's been busy these past couple months. It seems like yesterday we were at the Burrow." Ginny nodded, "Haha, you know." though her face light up, "Just think we will be back at the Burrow in a little over a month. It's almost November. Then we can hang out at the Burrow, unless you go see your parents." she said, "You won't to have coupe up with Malfoy all the time, I imagine that must be hell for you. But at least you have something decent to look at." Ginny said with a giggle.

Hermione feigned sickness and pretended to gag, "Oh please, he is a dirty rat that is in no way attractive." Again trying to fight back a blush. Hermione didn't do well with embarrassment it was one of her least favourite emotions right behind those associated with having no control.

Ginny gave her a knowing Cheshire smile and just said "Mhm." as she flipped through the magazine again; Hermione let a scandalized gasp fall from her lips before she pushed the redheads shoulder. "No, get such thoughts out of your head."

"Anywho, how _has_ it been? You both are alive so I can't imagine things are going too hateful." 

Hermione shook her head, "Well… We haven't spoken much since the first week of school." she sighed, "I guess it is for the best, we aren't at odds all the time believe it or not, but gosh…" she sighed shaking her head again.

Ginny gave her a puzzled look, "What?"

Hermione bit her lip, "He… Well, I don't know if I should." she furrowed her brows, "The first night we were staying together… I walked by his room, and his door was open. I happened to glance in and I didn't know he was changing, he was taking his shirt off and he had these horrible, horrible cuts and bruises all over him.

"I actually felt sorry for him. When I made mention of it, he didn't go crazy on me or anything but the look in his eyes, the way he held himself, it changed completely it wasn't the same Malfoy standing in front of me. Then we were in a fight the next day I think, and I made a jab at his father and him being Death Eaters and he had the same demeanour, it was almost scary, the inhuman look that passed across his face." 

Ginny fixed her with a stare, the questions on her face, "You care. You actually care about him." She shook her red hair, "Well more about his well being, this is actually getting to you." Ginny sat there in shock about the story itself but how much it had affected Hermione.

"I think it's horrible." Hermione stated simply.

"Maybe…" Ginny pursed her lips, "Maybe you should spend more time around here, like the Gryffindor Tower, and away from him."

Hermione gave a small nod, "I think its best." She looked away and eyed the clock on the teens bedside table, "Crap, Gin. I have to go to my class. Free period up for me." She said standing, "Don't you have a class?" Ginny shook her head, "Herbology was cancelled and so was Care of Magical Creatures. I'm open until Potions after lunch."

"Oh, well see you at lunch then." She gave the younger teen a hug, before she headed out the room, closing the door gently.

Ginny watched the girl retreat and bit on her fingernails. Hermione's worry went deeper then that of just that actually hate she had for the betraying of anyone's Human, or Elf, Rights, but more that she had started to actually develop something for the little snake.

A crazy idea no doubt, but even if they weren't talking as Hermione said, it hadn't meant that when they had talked or the small gestures didn't mean anything. "_Actions speak louder than words." _Molly Weasley always preached to her seven children. Not like there was more going on then Hermione let on, but she was sure if she could just spend two seconds with the two, she could figure it out.

Detective Ginny was on the case.

_xxx_

As her first unpaid and unofficial mission Ginny decided she would have to do it style…Or rather just so she wouldn't get caught, Hermione was pretty slick and Malfoy had a good deal sense gave to him to-though half the time it was doubtable, she would have to tap into years of sneaking experience handed down to her by the twins.

Ginny watched Hermione at dinner, on the sly of course, noting Hermione's usual eye drifts whenever the term 'Snitch' or 'Beater' was brought up, had been pointedly gazed at a distant table rather then the ceiling. Said distant table held a one Mister Malfoy. _Small yet, note worthy. _The teenage sleuth thought to herself as she attended to her pudding with vengeance, some things were a _little_ more important, you see.

As far as leads went, there were none, over the next few days Ginny had found nothing substantial, they rarely bickered, and rarely did they even speak. Conversations usually consisted of a series of 'Yes' or 'No', how frustrating. The teen considered giving of and deciding there was nothing to discover.

Though that Friday night the Gods took pity on the poor girl.

Ginny had trailed her Bushy Haired quarry to the library, and found her heading to a rather deserted corner of the library Ginny hadn't known was around. She ducked behind a stack of dangerously teetering books and peeked through the shelves.

Hermione had tossed her thing on the table and kicked back in one of the chairs, she gave a great stretch and proceeded to remove a tattered book and a fairly new looking one as well as three or four sheets on ink stained paper. Hermione stuck the quill tip in her mouth and began looking from one journal to the other scribbling away, occasionally shuffling through the loose pages in front of her. She gave a soft, frustrated sigh every once and awhile but kept scribbling across the page.

A shuffling of feet nearby made Hermione look up, Ginny cast a look behind her and saw Malfoy, she quickly ducked, missing Malfoy's puzzled look at the spot where her head had been. "What?" came Hermione's voice, "Oh, nothing I just… Nothing." Ginny heard him pull the chair out and sit; she counted five hippogriffs before she popped her head back up.

"Any luck?" Malfoy offered.

"Ugh, no." she said with a shy shoving the books and papers towards him, "I am so about to give up, it's ridiculous."

Malfoy kept silent but began to start writing just as Hermione had done a few minutes before, he turned the page a swore loudly. "She's changed it again."

"What?" Was Hermione's shrill reply, "Can she not make up her mind?" She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Here comes the 'Eris Headache' again." A common ailment among the two anymore.

"The whiny prat writing this rubbish would be glad to know she is named after something." he chuckled before pulling his wand and aiming it at Hermione, she tensed but he muttered the words too soon, "_Videlicet Poena_." He gave her a funny look, "There all gone. Don't be so jumpy, I wasn't kill you or anything." an edge to his voice almost made him sound hurt by her reaction.

Hermione looked down to hide the colour on her cheeks, now ashamed to admit that that had been exactly what she was thinking. "Thanks." she muttered, before she slid the notebook her way.

"Eris is unbelievable; we already have four keys for this women." She let out a breath not wanting to bring back the banished 'Eris Headache'.

"You look beat." Malfoy said in a small voice, "Why don't you head back to the dorm…uhm I can figure it out and have a new one for us tomorrow."

Hermione looked up at him studying his face for any sign of malicious intent on his face, "Uhm, are you sure… Because I really could stay and-" she paused at the look on his face, she gave a small smile, "Thanks, Malfoy."

He nodded, "No problem."

She gathered up the loose papers leaving him a few pieces in case he ran out and packed it in her bag. She gave him another smile before she headed out, "Good night, Malfoy." She called over her shoulder.

"Good night…" he called back, "…Hermione." he said in a soft whisper, before focusing again on the Eris' journal in front of him.

Ginny gave a small squeak at Hermione's name. Malfoy turned his head swiftly, again catching sigh of Ginny's hair, but just barely.

He shook his head, "You are going nutters, boy." he mumbled to himself before the sound of his quill on parchment took up again.

Ginny crawled through the aisle and headed out of the library a small satisfied smile sitting on her lips.

_It's all in a name._

_xxx_

Hey guys, I'm relatively pleased with this chapter. It's a little longer then the others which makes me happy. Squee. So I hope I am not rushing the Dramione relationship, I set out on this one with the intent of not rushing it, but I get greedy and I just can't wait to fluff things up, lol. So, yeah just let me know if you think it is too fast.

A little clarification;

_Eris: _Greek goddess of strife and discord

I figured it was fitting to name the writer of the journal Draco and Hermione that because she is rather chaotic in her writing, and she drives these two up the wall. The only thing good about her is her poetry, which will return when I am done being lazy.

_Videlicet Poena: _A made up spell, it means 'clear pain'. If my Latin is wrong blame it on the translator I used, lol.

Love you guys. 

**ELiZABETHH.**


	6. Enter My Dreams

_'Guilt is a funny thing; always strange the way it chose to manifest itself. I had now decided guilt was responsible for the sudden attraction, unfounded as it first seemed, I knew it was because I had judged him so harshly for the beliefs that were- literally -beaten into him.'_

The words fell from the pen into the crisp white pages of that leather-bound book Hermione had been hiding under her bed for some time. She stared down at the page her eyes wide, and her hand trembling.

It was an… epiphany, if you will. She ripped the page from the little diary swiftly and began tearing it up into as many pieces as she possibly could.

"What on Earth are you doing?" came the silky voice behind her.

"Oh." she gasped scrambling to shut the journal, "Well, I was just…Why do you have to sneak up on me like that?" she finally managed. She held her book bag to the edge of the desk in their common room and pushed her things in it before his eyes could see that she had taken up journaling.

He gave her a maybe-she-is-crazy kind of look and finally said, "Oookay then." he plopped into the armchair next to the desk she was at, "Uhm." she gave in response, eyeing him cautiously, he ignored it and began; "Well, it's a Saturday, and I haven't any Quidditch practice and we don't have duties until later this afternoon, what do you say we work on the journals?"

Hermione shook her head, "I do not feel like trying to work out that new code she is using, I _just_ got rid of my last Eris headache." she said rubbing her temple absentmindedly as she recalled the other night working on the journals.

"Oh yeah, " he began casually, sounding a little smug, "I got that all sorted out." he stood up and pulled a rolled up piece of parchment from his pocket, and handed it to her. He was always prepared to show off.

She looked up at him and took the parchment carefully, avoiding touching his hands, she looked over it, a new light coming to her face, "This is brilliant." she said a smile falling across her face, "How did you manage it?" She remembered his offer from the night before but she hadn't imagined he could actually cough up the code the next day like he had said.

His smirk smile came back and said, "Oh well it was actually amazingly easy." Hermione offered him a harsh look and he cleared his throat, "Well I was staring at myself adoringly in the mirror because I'm that dead sexy-" This brought a snort from Hermione "-and I had decided that I had embraced enough sexy for the hour and I brought the journal over to look over-I look even sexier when I am working hard- I got frustrated and threw it down on the dresser, and when I looked in the mirror again-to make sure I hadn't acquired any wrinkles, you see. I saw the reflection of the journal and lo and behold, I could read it! It's all backwards." He set a smug smile on his face again.

Hermione's look of awe faded, and the urge to slap the smug smile off his face crept into her, causing her hand a little twitch. She bit the inside of her cheek, "Amazing." She said sharper then she had intended. However, he ignored her tone and took the compliment, his smiling now bearing perfect white teeth.

"That is odd." Hermione let fall from her mouth before she had thought about it.

"What?" he said looking down at her again, "That it was so easy or that she would be stupid enough to make it so easy?"

"Oh well, I mean, there's that, but I was talking about…" She bit her lip, "Never mind." His behaviour the past couple days was odd, and un-Malfoy like as it were and she didn't feel the need to point out that this was the first time she had ever seen him smile that didn't have some kind of agenda behind it. It wasn't smug, it wasn't a smirk- of which he was so fond- it didn't touch his eyes but there was something genuine about it. It brought a light to his face, and for an instant Hermione could actually call him attractive.

"Oh, come on." he said, a little put out, "What were you going to say?"

Shoot. "Well, I'm not so sure about this whole journal thing. If it's just her poetry and ramblings about this guy she is in love with…It doesn't make sense why she would use all these codes and stuff… for nothing." She offered to him, he took it-sceptically-but he took it.

"One of the many things we'll never know." he sighed, "Anyways, I translated a bit last night, I thought it was a little odd, it's a lot different from some of the other poems, hold on a second." He went back to his room and emerged with their journal in his hand and handed it to her, he opened it and flipped through the pages before handing it to her.

She looked down at the words in his neat writing, that made hers look ugly, she would have to convince him to do all the writing from now on, "As the winds meets the water and the earth meets the fire, I ask to be brought higher, higher above them all see beyond these things, to now see everything. Grant me the Sight and come to see me when the stars meet my eyes, enter my dreams and give me the Sight."

She looked up from the page, "Are you sure this is right?" she asked as a tingle went down her spine, he scoffed at being doubted, "Of course it is." She frowned, "This doesn't make any sense. I have to go to the Gryffindor tower for awhile, but I'll be back before duties, so maybe we can work on it then?"

The light on his face dimmed a little and he glared at her, his excitement was clearly drained at the mention of Gryffindor.

"I'm sure the Weasel and Potty miss their Little Homework Machine." He said scathingly as he turned to go to his room, Hermione shot a glare at his back, he always seemed to make up for any kind of niceness he caught her off guard with. She pulled her yellow hoodie from the back of the chair and pulled it over her head and black tee, muttering under her breath at his sheer idioticness- if that was even a word. She had to note his mood had steadily improved since that day on the lawns, he seemed to drop Mudblood completely from his arsenal- at least when he had spoken to her- and had moved on to just referring to her as 'Granger' and on occasion 'Book Worm'.

The lengths of their decent conversations increased, and were semi enjoyable- if not a little awkward- though he reverted back to his old ways rather quickly, usually when he hadn't gotten his own way. Though she really couldn't complain, too much, any amount of civility from Malfoy, no matter how awkward and uncharacteristic it may be, she would take it with a smile- sort of.

Her train of thought had brought her through the hallways to the Common Room she loved, she smiled at the Fat Lady and offered her the password, which she took noiselessly as she swung open to permit Hermione to the lazy room, where lounged few students for a Saturday.

"Wow, Mione. Glad to see you somewhere besides class and meals, you haven't been here in ages." Said Ron as he enveloped her in a crushing hug.

"Cant breath." she gasped, before he let her go, the tips of his ears turning red.

Harry offered her a small smile, they still hadn't made amends for their spat, and she wondered if they would in the foreseeable future.

"Nice to see you. Ron was just about to curse this book 40 ways from China because he couldn't-" Hermione interceded before he made it to the actual point of asking her for help. "I had actually come up to see Gin." she looked away a little ashamed she had abandoned the boys but, she _had_ promised to see Gin.

Guilt overtook her, and quickly, "I should only need a half-hour at the latest, after that I could help no problem." She amended with a smile.

Ron look relived, while Harry looked sour. "Thanks Mione you are a lifesaver." he brought her back into a gentler hug. "So, Gin is upstairs right?" He nodded before relaxing on the couch, a content look on his face, while Harry returned to his paper with a vengeance.

"Ginny?" she questioned as she pushed the door open a little, "Come in."

Hermione smiled at the red head, "How are you?" she asked her as she made her way to the bed, Ginny smiled. A smart, little knowing smile that slightly bothered Hermione, with the way her eyes danced with excitement, and questions. Hermione swear she could see the girl fidget a little, Hermione gave her an odd look though the red heads smile stayed.

It was Hermione's turn to fidget, the intensity and scrutiny of Ginny's gaze began to get to her, like she was in on some private joke. She pushed past the discomfort, and got to the reason she was even there.

"I think..." she began as she sat down in front of Ginny, "I think I _might_ be kind of, acutely, marginally, _just_ a little bit attracted to him." She looked away from Ginny; not wanting to see the horror filled reaction she was sure that would contort the girl's features.

However, a small chuckle made Hermione look at her, and found that stupid smile came back for an encore. Come to think of it, she decided it was not a smile, more like a smirk.

Knowing, smug, annoying, pieces of crap smirk. Maybe that was taking it a little too far but she was _that_ displeased by that stupid smile.

"Oh really." was Ginny's response.

That was it, Hermione had it. "What do you know?" Hermione asked with narrowed eyes.

"What should I know?"

"Are you trying to be facetious?"

Ginny knitted her brows, "What the hell?" Hermione shook her head, "Oh bugger just tell me what's going on…."

"Well only _you_ really know what's going on." she said with implication in her voice. "Oh stop being such a child." Hermione replied sharper then she had originally intended for it to be. Gin let a reproachful look fall on her face, but apparently she had enough of the taunting and wanted to get on with the good part.

"Well… I might have tailed you and Malfoy all last week… Possibly." she began hesitantly, Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose, but didn't stop Ginny. After a moment of silence she let out a sigh and said, "And where you satisfied with you findings?"

"Inconceivably." She said with a giddy tone, she looked about to burst, "I was very frustrated in the beginning, you two were so…nothing. I couldn't… 'Grr', is all I can think of that would describe it. You didn't talk, nothing, it was like the other wasn't even there…. And _then_…" A grin spread her face, "Then, that Friday night it was like, the Fates knew, or something…" Hermione wondered if the teen had any idea how ridiculous she sounded- "_Hermioneee._ Are you even listening? Didn't you hear me? He said your name." Hermione looked up at her puzzled, Ginny shook her head, "Your name." she repeated; talking very slow, like she was talking to someone mentally incapacitated.

"I think you are looking for something in nothing." Hermione said decidedly; as if the words even mattered to the red head, indeed they didn't and she just gave a sigh. "Or you don't want to admit to something being there." Hermione scoffed, "He is…" She couldn't find something to say though. She realized that it was obvious she _hadn't really_ know who _he_ was, and he made more and more clear each time they spoke that she only knew his father.

"Attractive?" Ginny finished for her, "You said it yourself already. You can't deny it now, no take backs!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "'No take backs'? Are we in kindergarten?" She looked at the teen with a bit of incredulity in her eyes, she decided she really didn't feel like dealing with Ginny and her insane theories, "Well, look at the time…" she began "I agreed to help the boys and they would be upset if I didn't get to them."

She stood up swiftly as Ginny pouted, "You deny it all you want, but I know-"

"Bye Gin." Hermione cut her off and closed the door behind her hurrying down the stairs to find the boys playing chess. "Hello." she offered cheerfully, they grunted in response and kept their eyes on the game, even as Hermione sat.

Her patience was worn by Ginny already so she let out a sharp sigh and turned on Ron, "Do you or do you not need help with your homework?" She asked through almost gritted teeth. "Oh, oh yeah. Uhm, well maybe you could come by later…" He turned towards her, noting her irritated expression, "Uhm, yeah I did. I was losing anyways." He said nodding to the board.

"Mate, come on you were clearly-"

"Losing." Ron finished for Harry, as he tossed Hermione his book and pulled out his essay. Harry had his face set in an expression that was oddly familiar to a pout, but he returned to his essay after loudly putting the chess set away, he ignored Hermione and Ron as they argued over proper tenses, spelling and that Shakespeare's had not been pink, how exactly that was relevant to how Shakespeare used his magic to create such a re large following in Early England and still be so famous today was beyond her. She wasn't sure if Ron was actually paying attention in his Wizards in Contemporary and Archaic Muggle Society class, it wasn't rocket science.

Hermione straightened Ron out, who proceeded to rewrite his parchment that was almost completely covered in red ink from Hermione's stringent editing, and turned on Harry, "Do you need any help?" This would be the true test of how mad she was, and she knew it, as a general rule of thumb if he refused it meant she was in serious trouble, and there was no reconciliation in the near future, and if he agreed quickly she was fine, but a hesitation meant he was very mad, but he knew he wouldn't be for a long time. She was insured a long wait if he hesitated or if he refused.

"Uhm, yeah sure." She smiled, only a slight hesitation on his part suggested she would receive the cold shoulder for only a little while longer.

After she finished his paper it had been evident he was paying more attention to her and Ron then she had thought, his pare suffered only a few red slashes, she offered him a smile, "Good job." He accepted it with a small nod, before she gave a yawn and leaned back against the couch.

The lack of sleep was catching up to her, the familiarity of the common room and the soft cushions of the couch lulled her to sleep, the scratching of Ron and Harry's quills making an odd but calming lullaby in her frazzled mind.

The fact she was dreaming unsettled her, even through her sleep, the atmosphere of the dream toyed with her mind. She imagined when one had dreams they were nice and bright and sunny, and were of a place you wanted to be, but this was not the case. The Heads Quarters stood in front of her, the familiar warmth gone from it; it was bathed in the pale moonlight falling in from the window on the far wall opposite the fire place. The carpet she stood on was not plush, the warmth it held was an unusual feeling, and gave an uncomfortable wet squish beneath her feet.

She jumped back off the patch of carpet where she stood taking a few steps back on her tip toes, the blood followed her, the smell swirling up around her body, and she gagged. Whatever she had eaten threatening to join the putrid mess of blood on the floor. A crash made her jump again, goose bumps prickling on her arm, a soft whimpering made her freeze, an unnatural flash of yellow light flashed into the common room from one of the bedrooms.

Her eyes fell to Malfoy's dorm, where the door crashed open and a blonde teen crashed out onto the floor, she let out a strangled gasp, a looming shadow stood in the doorway and she suddenly felt like she was in a cheap Muggle horror film. A whimper still fell from her lips, and her eyes began to sting with tears, and the rational side wondered why. The shadow turned toward, surprised to find an intruder, it hesitate but turned quickly into the room, a flash of silver was all she could make out before the shadow was gone.

Hermione was rooted, but no further sound came from the room, except for the groans the crumpled body made, unthinkingly, Hermione rushed over, running through the blood on the carpet, slipping a little when she hit tile, before she fell to her knees. She lifted the pale, blonde head into her lap, a slight trickle of warm liquid soaking through the white night dress she was wearing and onto her legs, the aroma of blood strong in her nose again. But as she turned the face towards her, she refused to be weak, she was shocked at the state Malfoy was in, and shocked she could figure out it was him. His grey eyes opened and pierced her own, and softly he said, "Hermione." and he repeated it, his voice become less and less his own.

"Hermione!" He finally shouted, and she took a step back, the blood on her white dress gone, the white dress gone period, the dorm melted away and was replaced by the Gryffindor common room gone, grey eyes replaced with emerald ones, "Are you alright? What's wrong?" Unthinkingly she reached up and threw her arms around Harry's neck, her body shaking with small sobs; he pulled her slower and let his hand trail over her hair, repeating that everything was okay.

"Is she okay?" a feminine voice kept urging, fear and curiosity burning it up.

"She fell asleep, a while ago, it's already three thirty." a male voice said.

It brought her fully out of the dream, and she tried to pull away, "I have to go." Harry let her go, but held on to the upper part of her arms, "You shouldn't." His emerald eyes burned into her own, searching for what she was hiding, "You were screaming, Mione." He tried to pull her into a hug again, but she slipped though his arms and onto her feet, "Just a bad dream." she said, "I-I was falling, no big deal." she stammered. "I have Head Duties, and I need to change."

She had gathered a larger audience then just the Boys & Gin, and she looked at all the eyes staring her and flushed, "I'm fine, I just ate too much sweets or something, sugar can give you bad dreams." They weren't satisfied but her pleading and the fact she would be late for her Head Duties finally let the Boys release her.

As soon as the portrait closed behind her she rushed to her dorm, she halted at the tapestry trying to catch her breath, and noticed Julie pacing back and forth, sighing and biting her lip.

"Faerie lights." she panted, and Julie looked up, "Hermione, are you alright?" she asked as she swung open, but Hermione ignored her. She ducked into the room silently a few papers were strewn across the desk and on to the floor, but a breeze could have caught those right? Her heart pounded in her ears, but she was sure that was the only thing she heard, "Malfoy?" she asked her voice shaky, threatening to crack.

She heard a shuffled from his dorm, and his door swung open, he walked out with a slight limp, one she might have missed if she wasn't assessing his health, "What?" He asked, his voice a little horse. She looked him over, her brown eyes scrutinizing him, "What do you want?" She looked over at the desk, and his eyes followed her gaze, and he looked back to her, "What? I dropped that retched Potions book on my foot." He said as he limped over to the desk heaving the giant book up onto the desk dropping it with a loud _thud_, and gathering the papers up off the floor.

She was still wary and stared at him, waiting for him to keel over, to figure out she was still in her dream. He turned toward her, he was a little uncomfortable under her gaze, "What is your problem? It's no big deal; it's just a little sore." His face twisted into shock, "What are you doing? Are you crying?"

The shock was her turn and she raised her hand up to her eyes, she looked down at the glistening fingertips glaring at them for betraying her, she didn't really expect to find any tears, she wasn't sure why she would be crying. "I'm… I had… I don't know." Her thoughts were disjointed and her head became a jumble again, and it was his turn to stare, he must think she was crazy now, and her embarrassment threatened her with more tears.

"I have to change for duties." She said as she quickly rushed to her room.

This was insane, there was nothing rational to explain her dream, or the fact she had been dreaming. She wasn't programmed for dreaming, her nights lay before her dark and uneventful, so how exactly could she explain this dream. She imagined that if she dreamt it might be about an Italian vacation or something that held her heart, but this. This was creepy. It felt too real, the wetness of blood soaked into the plush area rug of the common room, the scent of it swirling up around her head, the way her stomach contracted threatening to empty out. The warmth of his blood spreading over her lap.

It seemed impossible to her to be feel so real. What had changed from last night? Why hadn't she dreamt before this afternoon? Why weren't Eris' too descriptive poetry not planting the images in her head and dancing across her head at night? Why hadn't she been haunted by the Basilisk, the Dark Lord, every horrible moment of her short 17 years?

* * *

Yay, another chapter finally up! Isn't everyone like super excited? There is a little more meat in this chapter, well it's longer then normal, I had more ideas, and I wanted to put a lot more in, but I didn't want it to be too long. As usual reviews are always appreciated. D

**ELiZABETHH.**


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